The Placement Portfolio: Data Structures vs Development

In the final year of engineering, time is a finite resource. Students often face a trade-off: Should they grind Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA) on LeetCode, or build tangible Development Projects?

The answer depends entirely on the Target Company Tier.

The Case for DSA (The FAANG Route)

Large Product Companies (Google, Amazon, Microsoft) and High-Frequency Trading firms care about one thing: Problem Solving Aptitude.

• The Filter: These companies receive thousands of resumes. DSA serves as a standardized IQ test. You cannot enter the interview room without clearing the “Online Assessment” (OA), which is pure DSA.
• The ROI: High effort (400+ questions), but the highest starting salaries (₹15 Lakhs+).
• The Risk: It is “All or Nothing.” If you fail the test, your DSA skills have zero utility in building an actual product.

The Case for Development (The Startup & Service Route)

Startups and mid-sized product companies care about: Immediate Utility.

• The Proof: They don’t want to know if you can invert a binary tree; they want to know if you can build an API or deploy a Docker container.
• The Leverage: A strong GitHub profile with deployed projects (e.g., a clone of Netflix, a chat app) is a magnet for founders. It proves you can ship code.
• The ROI: Moderate salaries initially (₹6-12 Lakhs), but faster career growth if the startup succeeds.

The Balanced Strategy

A monolithic approach is risky. A 70/30 split is recommended based on the timeline.

Timeline to Placements	Strategy	Focus Ratio
> 6 Months	Hybrid: Master DSA basics + Build 1 Major Project	50% DSA / 50% Dev
3-6 Months	DSA Heavy: Focus on clearing OAs.	80% DSA / 20% Dev
< 2 Months	Crash Course: Top 100 DSA Qs + “Resume Projects”	60% DSA / 40% Dev

Conclusion

Prioritize DSA IF:

• You are targeting companies paying >₹12 LPA.
• You are good at competitive programming.
• You rely on on-campus placements.

Prioritize Development IF:

• You are targeting off-campus startups.
• You struggle with abstract math/logic but love building things.
• You want to freelance or start your own venture.

Final Verdict: DSA gets you the Interview. Development gets you the Job Offer once you are in the room. You need enough DSA to open the door, and enough Development to stay in the room.